Disappointment prevails in the communities of Agia Anna, Kalo Chorio, Psevda, Mosfiloti and Pyrgi, since, as it became clear during the session of the Defense Committee of the Parliament last Thursday, a political decision has not yet been made to move the Kalo Chorio firing range. Although there is satisfaction with the measures taken after meetings with the Minister of Defense, as community leaders of the area told "F", the position on moving the firing range does not change, an issue they urgently raise after the big fire of July 27, which spread panic in the area.
"I also told them in Parliament: Either the firing range will leave, or Agia Anna will leave the firing range so that we can protect ourselves. We do not play with the safety of the people, their homes and properties. We are the first in Agia Anna to eat the fire", stressed the community leader of the area, Anastasis Georgiou, noting that they will continue to ask for timetables for his removal.
For his part, the community leader of Mosfilotis, Andreas Panagiotou, noted that the issue will be discussed at the next meeting of the Tremithos Potamos community complex to decide on the next steps. "I am satisfied that after the incident they responded and did not leave us at the mercy of God, but we do not change our position on moving the firing range. Some citizens who were in danger want to mobilize, but we will see how to keep the issue in a low and productive tone," he added.
In the same vein, the president of the community complex, Tremithos Potamos, community leader of Pyrgai, Stavroula Vassiliou, who stressed that the difficulties of moving the firing range are understandable, however, this does not change their request. "The first thing we said in Parliament is that our constant request is the movement of the firing range. This does not raise a debate. We will fight for this. The Minister of Defense said that they have nothing to report to us, but we, however, will try to set a timetable and tell us when they will start looking for a new site," he noted.
Ms. Vassiliou also said that the most promised by the Minister of Defense and the chief of the National Guard have been done, such as the widening of fire zones, the creation of additional outposts, the strengthening of the presence of firefighters while firing will be carried out, but also the exclusion of some ammunition from the exercises. "We also said that every time a Government or the leader of the National Guard changes, we have to say these things again. Mr. Palmas agreed to sign a memorandum with the Ministry of Defense and the Complex in order to consolidate some things that we want to be done, until the firing range is moved."
